Wednesday, July 19, 2017

The Power of Friendship

I had fun talking to this wacky group of kids one day at Black's Creek!
It's never a dull moment when kids are involved.

It's been a gloomy couple of a days here in the Greater Boston area, with thunder booming and the threat of rain lingering over our heads each day. However, you wouldn't know it if you took a visit to Blacks Creek. Each day, numerous kids braved the chill and the rain to come explore with us, something that is very telling of the importance of these activities in their lives. They simply did not care that the water was cold (which it certainly was), or that the crabs were difficult to find. They were just happy to be there, and to be out and about in Blacks Creek.

Now that we're getting into the swing of things, many of the kids that visit us during the week are repeat visitors, and as such are starting to really learn the ropes. They know all the rules, how to catch and properly hold green crabs, and what the best spots to catch green crabs, hermit crabs, and the occasional minnow or two. They can easily identify if a crab is male or female, though some of the younger kids might need a gentle reminder as to which shape corresponds to which gender. But while they're building relationships with their environment, they're also beginning to build relationships with each other as well as our staff. It's always nice for me to see a bond forming, whether it be Eric teaching one of the kids how to skip rocks. Or Jahari playing taps with swarms of rambunctious kids. Or Nieomi showing off her crab prowess to the kids. It Also makes me smile when a kid in a different program, who had previously spent time with us, excitedly calls out a greeting to me from the boat he's on. It just goes to show that the work we are doing goes far beyond simply teaching these kids how to catch crabs. By building these relationships, we can be better role models, and therefore help these kids follow our example in respecting nature.

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Welcome!

Save the Harbor/Save the Bayis a non-profit public-interest Boston Harbor environmental advocacy organization whose mission is to restore and protect Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, the Boston Harbor Islands, the Boston Harbor region's public beaches, Boston's waterfront and the marine environment and share them with the public, for everyone to enjoy.

Since 1986, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay has been the driving force behind the transformation of Boston Harbor from one of the dirtiest urban harbors in America to one of the cleanest in the world.

As a result of our advocacy, Boston Harbor has been transformed from a "Harbor of Shame" into a source of recreational, educational and economic opportunity and civic pride. Today the beaches of South Boston are among the cleanest urban beaches in the nation, the Boston Harbor Islands are a National Park, and Boston's waterfront has become a compelling destination for residents and visitors alike.

Working with a broad base of civic, corporate, government, scientific, philanthropic and community partners, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay continues to strengthen the connections between communities and the harbor, and promote the increasingly important impact Boston Harbor has on the region’s economy.

Each year Save the Harbor / Save the Bay runs 2 freeYouth Environmental Education Programs that combine recreation and hands-on education to bring Boston Harbor alive for thousands of Boston area young people. Since 2003, we have connected nearly 250,000 youth and teens to Boston Harbor, the Boston Harbor Islands, our region's public beaches and Boston's waterfront.

Our "Boston Harbor Explorers" program serves thousands of young people at the Courageous Sailing Center in Charlestown, the Piers Park Sailing Center and Constitution Beach in East Boston, DCR's Carson Beach in South Boston, at Community Boating on the Charles River, on Black's Creek in Quincy, and at Camp Harbor View on Long Island and at The Boston Children's Museum.Our"All Access Boston Harbor"program departs weekdays from the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in South Boston, and brings thousands of youth and teens from more than 100 community groups to Georges or Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park on the Provincetown II.

OurBetter Beaches Program supports dozens of free events and activities on the region's public beaches each year in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

We hope we can count on you as we share Boston Harbor with 30,000 young people on 28 free island excursions and at 40 free events and programs on the region's public beaches in 2018.For more information about Save the Harbor/Save the Bay please visit our website at www.savetheharbor.org